Motorola Previews iTunes Phone

[frozenstar]

Don't forget people, this is supposed to be a mid-range phone with a mid-range price. Don't expect this thing to be the panacea of mobile communication.

I wonder whether it'll be CDMA or GSM. If they want to sell them individually via the Apple Store, it would make most sense to use GSM, because the consumer will be able to just pop in the SIM card from his previous phone. If it does end up being GSM-only, I wonder how many Mac fanatics will cancel their contracts with Verizon and Sprint.

 

[zelmo]

Don't forget people, this is supposed to be a mid-range phone with a mid-range price. Don't expect this thing to be the panacea of mobile communication.

I wonder whether it'll be CDMA or GSM. If they want to sell them individually via the Apple Store, it would make most sense to use GSM, because the consumer will be able to just pop in the SIM card from his previous phone. If it does end up being GSM-only, I wonder how many Mac fanatics will cancel their contracts with Verizon and Sprint.

Yes, I recall a quote from someone at Apple stating that the phone would not be a $500 high-end phone, but a mid-priced one. That still leaves it in the $250-300 range, IYAM. And that is still too rich for many. That's why I believe the iPod micro/flash and the iPhone are two distinct products, not one.

 

[k2k koos]

Call me old fashioned...

I've still not understood the hype with all this mobile phone stuff. I own a tri band Phone , so I can use it world wide to make phone calls, perhaps send the odd text message (although I rather use a laptop and send an e-mail, types soo much easier...), but that it is. It has a color screen (useful as it is pleasant on the eye) , a build in camera (why bother? the resolution is crap), build in web access (why? it is too darn slow to be realy useful) , it has a gazillion different ringtones, and can upload more (why? this is just for play and show off reasons I think..) screensavers (why???, instead fold up the phone and the display goes off...the best screensaver I can think off.., so again only eye candy)
Now we getiTunes on the mobile phone.... sorry but this just doesn't seem to compute in my brain...I think it is a noce gadget, but that is all it will be, if I want music on the move, I'll get an iPod (although also here, I do not move enough and can usually just plug in my Powerebook and play music from there...)
All I want is a comfortable phone, that I can use everywhere, and does not cost me extra just because of the gadgets! Try and find a triband like that, they do not exsist! (and less gadgets means cheaper phone rates, as these free super phones with subscriptions everywhere do need to get paid for somehow...)

So my opinion, very nice, if you're in to gadgets, if you a bit more serious and think twice, then why bother.....
(the same reason I went for a Mac, everybody arround me jumped onto Windows machines,because everyone else did, I thought twice, and decided the Mac was a much better machine (we are talking 1990 now) and still think it is superior.)

Feel free to disagree, I am just getting too old perhaps .....sigh...

 

[Damek]

Screw a phone with iTunes, give me an iPod that can phone!

im still a big lover of cell phones that allow me to call and text simplicty

Heck, just give me the ability to call! And done well! That's all I need - it is a telephone, after all. The only real advancement I've seen in recent years, and the reason I just got a new phone this summer, is bluetooth for easy syncing of contacts. The worst thing about a cell phone is having to maintain a separate contact list through the horrible keypad interface. Bluetooth syncing is a godsend!

I went overboard and got a SE K700, which has a camera I never use and all these 'net/messaging capabilities I don't need. But it looks neat and my contacts are always up to date. The camera is occasionally amusing, but they could drop that and most of the other software features, and just keep the bluetooth/call quality and I'd be happy. Would have cost less, too, I imagine. I have to say, though, it is neat to use as a remote control for DVD Player and iTunes.

As for this new iTunes-capable phone, I guess it's good for Apple and for people who want all-in-one stuff, but for me, I'd prefer to keep my iPod and my phone separate. One serves one purpose, the other serves another. It could be neat, if it has enough storage you can use whatever headphones you want with it, and it beeps or something when you have an incoming call. Sometimes I don't hear my phone because I'm always listening to music, so that could be a plus.

Considering that possibility, maybe my ideal would be an iPod mini with simple phone call capability. The contacts would be updated whenever the iPod was connected, so bluetooth wouldn't be necessary. That would kick ass. I don't need all the other stuff they cram into phones these days.

 

[MaCaDDiCT21]

Is apple also gonna launch a phone service o go with the phone? I don't see Apple teaming up with Sprint or any other popular carriers any time soon.

 

[xsnightclub]

Motorole E680

From motorolas website, This phone is part of their seamless mobility campaign.
And it already uses Real Player.
The iPhone may be similar to this.

 

[malibux]

FIRST PIC OF THE PHONE!!

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000503026441/

i love it

 

[xsnightclub]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000503026441/

i love it

Read page 2.

IMO, if Steve unveils that ugly POS, he will be laughed out of the convention center, and Bill Gates will have the best day of his life, making up for the Blue Screen of Death appearances at Las Vegas CES this week.

 

[dongmin]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000503026441/

i love it

uhh, did you not read through the thread. the phone that's picture is ONLY for demonstration purposes and is not the actual product that will carry itunes.

and PLEASE people, this is not a confirmation of this mythical 'iphone.' the only thing this confirms is that Moto will have iTunes (the app) on some of their phones. and the 'ipod interface' the story is quoting may simply be the software. i doubt the phone will have anything like a touch-sensitive wheel.

 

[xsnightclub]

and PLEASE people, this is not a confirmation of this mythical 'iphone.' the only thing this confirms is that Moto will have iTunes (the app) on some of their phones. and the 'ipod interface' the story is quoting may simply be the software. i doubt the phone will have anything like a touch-sensitive wheel.

I agree, which is why it would make sense for Motorala to just update the E680 with RealPlayer, to use iTunes and make it compatible with iTms and give it some sort of click wheel. Maybe even be able to puschase music from iTms from your phone and later update to iTunes on computer/
Note: the motorola E680 also incorporates a picture viewer (iPod photo)

 

[TheInevitable]

I'd love it if they'd release a free mobile iTunes that I could install on my N-Gage (or any Symbian Series 60 phone). The price of high capacity MMC and SD Cards are really reasonable. I just wish there was a decent MP3 player for my phone.

 

[DPazdanISU]

looks like apple is taking back what it once owned....global technological dominance! Pretty soon we'll have ipod blenders!

 

[Object-X]

uhh, did you not read through the thread. the phone that's picture is ONLY for demonstration purposes and is not the actual product that will carry itunes.

and PLEASE people, this is not a confirmation of this mythical 'iphone.' the only thing this confirms is that Moto will have iTunes (the app) on some of their phones. and the 'ipod interface' the story is quoting may simply be the software. i doubt the phone will have anything like a touch-sensitive wheel.

But could this be the start of an OS X Mobile edition? If it does iTunes, why not iMovie? They did say last keynote that H.264 codec will scale down to the size of a phone. Why not be able to read your iWork documents and email from Apple Mail client? Maybe Apple is going to try an get into the mobile OS space.

 

[denm316]

Don't forget people, this is supposed to be a mid-range phone with a mid-range price. Don't expect this thing to be the panacea of mobile communication.

I wonder whether it'll be CDMA or GSM. If they want to sell them individually via the Apple Store, it would make most sense to use GSM, because the consumer will be able to just pop in the SIM card from his previous phone. If it does end up being GSM-only, I wonder how many Mac fanatics will cancel their contracts with Verizon and Sprint.

I have Verizon and as much as I am a "Mac fanatic", I wont switch to an inferior service just for a Phone with iTunes, number one thing...Ability to make phone calls, not used the iTMS.

But dont get me wrong if it is CDMA with Verizon, I will buy one right away...lol.

 

[frozenstar]

From motorolas website, This phone is part of their seamless mobility campaign.
And it already uses Real Player.
The iPhone may be similar to this.

I highly doubt it. The E680 is a high-end Linux smartphone. The Apple/Motorola phone is targeted at a completely different market. Chances are that it will be nothing like the E680.

 

[denm316]

From motorolas website, This phone is part of their seamless mobility campaign.
And it already uses Real Player.
The iPhone may be similar to this.

Cool lookin' phone, but I hope to god it is not called the iPhone.

 

[Apple //e]

dialing

i think it would be cool if it had a mechanical scroll wheel that you used to dial like the old phones

 

[SiliconAddict]

*shrugs* Weeee a phone that can play music. Talk about a gimmick. Anyone want to hazard a guess on battery life? So you are bopping to your tunes for an hour and get a call. Suddenly your phone dies because your music ate the majority of your battery before you took the call. Joy.

How about going were we need the most innovation? How about Apple takes the smartphone / PDAPhone to the next level? Palm’s OS on the Treo sucks. For the love of god its almost a 10 year old OS that can't even multitask or even has protected memory!??! Too cludgy. Windows Mobile or even their Smartphone software blows. It wasn’t designed for the phone. Its been shoehorned into it and it does a particularly crappy job. Apple needs to fill this gap with an Apple branded iPhone or iTalk or whatever. The industry has a million solutions all over the board. Some have some good ideas behind them. Some of them just plain suck. It’s a mess. Sort of sounds like the portable MP3 player before Apple jumped into the fray doesn’t it? Come on Apple. You have your iPod. Release the hounds and get another consumer oriented device on the market!


I know at least 3 people who would soil themselves almost literally if Apple release a PDAPhone.

 

[frozenstar]

i think it would be cool if it had a mechanical scroll wheel that you used to dial like the old phones

Sure, that would be cool...


...if you wanted to put it on display in a museum.

 

[afields]

Sounds like it could be a great phone. Unfortunately I just bought the Sony Ericsson k700.

It's a great phone too though.

 

[xsnightclub]

I highly doubt it. The E680 is a high-end Linux smartphone. The Apple/Motorola phone is targeted at a completely different market. Chances are that it will be nothing like the E680.

Do you think that in some insane attempt to make a profit that they might make more than one model? Maybe target more than just the hack who wants his 'free phone with 2 year contract' (which is so not the typical apple premium product), this phone has to WOW people.

Sorry about the meet the parents rip-off

However, it is reassuring to know that you have personally sat in on the marketing meetings for this new product and are able to give first hand knowledge of the target demographic.

 

[dejo]

Do you think that in some insane attempt to make a profit that they might make more than one model? Maybe target more than just the hack who wants his 'free phone with 2 year contract' (which is so not the typical apple premium product), this phone has to WOW people.

Sorry about the meet the parents rip-off

However, it is reassuring to know that you have personally sat in on the marketing meetings for this new product and are able to give first hand knowledge of the target demographic.

As they would say on That 70's Show, "BURN!"

 

[SiliconAddict]

i think it would be cool if it had a mechanical scroll wheel that you used to dial like the old phones

Umm. No. There's a reason why the rotary went by, by. I have an ancient one sitting in my laundry room at home. Still works. Trust me. You DO NOT want one on a cell....EVER.

The rotary was a product of necessity not of form.

 

[frequeniquity]

I know at least 3 people who would soil themselves almost literally if Apple release a PDAPhone.

that's just weird and sad and kinda gross

 

[frozenstar]

Do you think that in some insane attempt to make a profit that they might make more than one model? Maybe target more than just the hack who wants his 'free phone with 2 year contract' (which is so not the typical apple premium product), this phone has to WOW people.

Sorry about the meet the parents rip-off

However, it is reassuring to know that you have personally sat in on the marketing meetings for this new product and are able to give first hand knowledge of the target demographic.

No, I don't think that "in some insane attempt to make a profit" they will make more than one model. This phone is an experiment. If it's successful, they will expand the line-up later on. I don't need to be on a marketing team to tell you that. Common sense is sufficient.

As for the target demographic, I believe Apple and Motorola execs have already stated that it's going to be a mid-range phone. There is no reason to believe they were uninformed or being intentionally deceptive when they said that.